Tag Archives: movie theater

The theaters in Battery Park City weren't empty of germs. (Photo: Flickr @smaku)

Ick! Fox 5 NY conducted an investigation of Manhattan movie theaters, taking spot samples from arm rests and concession stands and testing them. You might want to think twice about taking in a flick at the Regal Cinema near Battery Park, since the location had a total of nine sanitary violation points.

One of their key violations? Not keeping food at the required temperature. Maybe you should skip that bucket of popcorn next time you go to this theater. Additionally, a sample taken from the theater’s condiment counter revealed a “gross contamination.”

“This is a pure culture of E. coli ,”the Fox 5 NY inspector said, pointing to a Petri dish from the counter top. “There could be any kind of virus there.” The countertop was inspected solely for bacteria, so other contaminants could very well be lurking.

Jewel Gallagher, a Regal spokesperson, e-mailed the following statement to Fox 5 NY: “The cleanliness of our theatres is a high priority for Regal as we seek to provide a safe and enjoyable environment. On our most recent health department report, Regal Battery Park received an ‘A’ grade from the NYC Department of Health’s rigorous inspections and evaluations. We appreciate any information that Fox 5 can provide us regarding your evaluation, so that we can address any concerns. Rest assured that we take any comments from guests or health officials seriously.”

Does this news make you think twice about seeing a movie at the Regal Cinema?